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Not many yeres sithence, a Gentleman, dwelling not farre off, was perswaded, by some information, or imagination, that treasure lay hidden vnder this stone: wherefore, in a faire Moone-shine night, thither with certaine good fellowes hee hyeth to dig it vp; a working they fall, their labour shortneth, their hope increaseth, a pot of Gold is the least of their expectation. But see the chance. In midst of their toyling, the skie gathereth clouds, the Moone-light is ouer-cast with darkenesse, downe fals a mightie showre, vp riseth a blustering tempest, the thunder cracketh, the lightning flameth: in conclusion, our money-seekers washed, in stead of loden; or loden with water, in stead of yellow earth, and more afraid, then hurt, are forced to abandon their enterprise, and seeke shelter of the next house they could get into. Whether this proceeded from a naturall accident, or a working of the diuell, I will not vndertake to define. It may bee, God giueth him such power ouer those, who begin a matter, vpon couetousnesse to gaine by extraordinarie meanes, and prosecute it with a wrong, in entring and breaking another mans land, without his leaue, and direct the end thereof, to the princes defrauding, whose prerogatiue challengeth these casualties.
A little beyond Foy, the land openeth a large sandie drab Bay, for the Sea to ouer-flow, which, and the village adioyning, are therethrough aptly termed Trewardreth, in English, The Sandie towne. Elder times, of more deuotion then knowledge, here founded a religious house, which, in King Henrie the eights raigne, vnderwent the common downefall.
I haue receiued credible information, that some three yeeres sithence, certaine hedges deuiding a closse on the seaside hereabouts, chanced, in their digging, vpon a great chest of stone, artificially ioyned, whose couer, they (ouer-greedy for booty) rudely brake, and therewithall a great earthen pot enclosed, which was guilded and graued with letters, defaced by this misaduenture, and ful of a black earth, the ashes (doubtles) as that, the vrna of some famous personage.
Vpon a side of this bay, one M. Peter Beuill first began the experiment of making a saltwater pond, induced thereunto, by obseruing that the high Summer tydes brought with them young Basses and Millets, whom at their ebbing, they left behinde in little pits of the euen ground, where they would liue for many weekes without any reuisitation of the sea: who, as he bettered this naturall patterne, so did I his artificiall; but yet with a thankefull acknowledgement, by whome I haue profited.
Lostwithiel should seeme to fetch his originall from the Cornish Lostwithiall, which in English, soundeth a Lions tayle: for as the Earle of this prouince gaue the Lyon in armes, and the Lions principall strength (men, say) consisteth in his tayle; so this towne claymeth the precedence, and his Lords chiefest residence, & the place which he entrusted with his Exchequer, and where his wayghtier affaires were managed. Maioralty, markets, faires, and nomination of Burgesses for the parliament, it hath common with the most: Coynage of Tynne, onely with three, others; but the gayle for the whole Stannary, and keeping of the County Courts, it selfe alone. Yet all this can hardly rayse it to a tolerable condition of wealth and inhabitance. Wherefore I will [138] detayne you no longer, then vntill I haue shewed you a solemne custome in times past here yeerely obserued, and onely of late daies discontinued, which was thus:
Vpon little Easter Sunday, the Freeholders of the towne and mannour, by themselues or their deputies, did there assemble: amongst whom, one (as it fell to his lot by turne) brauely apparelled, gallantly mounted, with a Crowne on his head, a scepter in his hand, a sword borne before him, and dutifully attended by all the rest also on horseback, rode thorow the principall streete to the Church: there the Curate in his best beseene, solemnely receiued him at the Churchyard stile, and conducted him to heare diuine seruice: after which, he repaired with the same pompe, to a house foreprouided for that purpose, made a feast to his attendants, kept the tables end himselfe, and was serued with kneeling, assay, & all other rites due to the estate of a Prince: with which dinner, the ceremony ended, and euery man returned home again. The pedigree of this vsage is deriued from so many descents of ages, that the cause and authour outreach remembrance: howbeit, these circumstances offer a coniecture, that it should betoken the royalties appertaining to the honour of Cornwall.
M. Wil. Kendals hospitality, while he liued, and here kept house, deserueth a speciall remembrance, because, for store of resort and franknes of entertainment, it exceeded all others of his sort.
This towne anno 11. H. 7, was by act of Parliament assigned, to keepe the publike waights and measures, ordayned for the Countie.
Lostwithiel subiected it selfe to the commaund of Restormel Castle, alias, Lestormel, sometimes the Dukes principal house. It is seated in a park, vpon the plaine neck of a hill, backed to the Westwards, with another, somewhat higher, & falling euery other way, to end in a valley, watered by the fishfull riuer of Foy. His base court is rather to be coniectured, then discerned, by the remnant of some fewe ruines; amongst which, an ouen of 14. foot largenes, through his exceeding proportion, prooueth the like hospitality of those dayes. The inner court grounded vpon an intrenched rocke, was formed round, had his vtter wall thick, strong, and garretted: his flat roofe couered with lead, and his large windowes taking their light inwards. It consisted of two stories, beisdes the vaults, and admitted entrance and issue, by one onely gate, fenced with a Portcouliz. Water was conueyed thither, by a conduit, from the higher ground adioyning. Certes, it may moue compassion, that a Palace, so healthfull for aire, so delightfull for prospect, so necessary for commodities, so fayre (in regard of those dayes) for building, and so strong for defence, should in time of secure peace, and vnder the protection of his naturall Princes, be wronged with those spoylings, then which, it could endure no greater, at the hands of any forrayne and deadly enemy: for the Parke is disparked, the timber rooted vp, the conduit pipes taken away, the roofe made sale of, the planchings rotten, the wals fallen downe, and the hewed stones of the windowes, dournes & clauels, pluct out to serue priuate buildings: onely there remayneth an vtter defacement, to complayne vpon this vnregarded distresse. It now appertayneth by lease, to Master Samuel, who maried Halse : his father (a wise and pleasant conceited Gent.) matched with Tremayne.